Neurobiology

The Neurobiology discipline investigates the nervous system from molecular mechanisms to sensory function and disease. Research spans neuronal migration and circuit formation during brain development, the physiology and pathology of ion channels in the brain, retina, and heart, and the development of AAV-based gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases — several of which have already entered clinical trials. At the cellular level, groups study how RNA-binding proteins regulate local translation at synapses to support learning and memory, and how misfolded proteins propagate between cells during aging and neurodegeneration. Evolutionary and developmental perspectives on arthropod sense organs add further breadth. Together, the discipline connects fundamental neuroscience with translational goals across genetics, cell biology, pharmacology, and gene therapy.